Not His Type Of Mate
Chapter 82

Alpha Leo's POV

"Mine!" Ethan's voice echoed in my head, urging me to claim her lips, but I resisted and shook my head. "I can't..."

"It's okay, ignore what I just said," she replied and lay back on the bed.

Without needing to be told, I knew my words had hurt her, but I believed it was for the best. Ever since I met her, I had been consumed by a desire to kiss her lips, to touch and feel her. But whenever I looked into her eyes, guilt washed over me, a constant reminder of the pain I had caused her in the past.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm the storm of conflicting emotions within me. I held her close, wrapping my arms around her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. It was a bittersweet moment, being so close to her yet holding back.

As I held her in my arms, desire and guilt battled within me. Every time I looked into her eyes, I was reminded of the pain I had inflicted on her. We remained silent until I noticed she had fallen asleep in my arms. I felt her nuzzle herself closer, inhaling my scent in her sleep, which brought a smile to my face.

Feeling my muscles relax, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up, I slowly opened my eyes and blinked several times before looking down to see Nora sleeping peacefully in my arms. A smile crept onto my face as I gently kissed her forehead and carefully moved away, resting her head on a pillow. Quietly, I sat on the edge of the bed and reached out to brush a strand of hair away from her face. She looked so serene and beautiful, and I couldn't resist leaning down to place a tender kiss on her lips, quickly pulling away.

I quietly got out of bed, trying not to disturb Nora's peaceful sleep. I walked over to the window, opened it, and inhaled the fresh morning air.

"You're awake," Nora's voice reached my ears, and I turned to her. "Good morning, Alpha Leo," she greeted and rubbed her face. "How long have you been awake?" she asked.

"Not long," I replied and watched her get out of bed.

She stretched her arms and yawned, looking slightly disheveled but still beautiful.

"Good morning, Nora," I replied, my voice carrying warmth. "I hope you slept well."

She nodded and ran a hand through her tousled hair. "Yes, surprisingly well. It must be the comfort of your embrace," she said, a faint blush tinting her cheeks.

I couldn't help but smile at her words and watched as she looked away.

"I'll go freshen up," she said, and I nodded, observing her pick up some things from her suitcase before entering the bathroom.

"You can go in, you know," Ethan spoke, but I scoffed and shook my head. "Don't be ridiculous," I responded and sat back on the bed.

Moments later, Nora walked out of the bathroom, fully dressed in a pair of jeans and a button-down top, with a towel in her hand as she dried her hair.

"Will you come down for breakfast, or do you want it up here?" I asked, and she fell silent for a moment before responding, "I'll eat downstairs." She said and I nodded.

"Let me shower, and then we can go downstairs," I said, and she nodded before I turned and left the room.

After bathing, I returned to the room with a towel wrapped around my waist. The moment she saw me walk in, she stood up. "I'll go downstairs," she said, and before I could object, she turned and quickly left the room.

"She is shy," Ethan spoke, but I refused to believe it, knowing that Maddison had touched her.

"Then why don't you touch her?" Ethan asked, and I didn't give him a response. Instead, I took off the towel, but just then the door opened. I turned and saw the stunned eyes of Nora before she quickly looked away, but it was already too late; she had seen me naked.

"Apologies, I just came back for my phone. I didn't know you would..."

"There is no need to apologize," I said, and she nodded, went to the bed, and picked up her phone without looking my way.

I watched her leave and smiled at her behavior. I got dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt before leaving the room.

I went downstairs and went to the dining table where I found Nora seated beside Mother. From the look of it, it seemed they were having a little chat.

"Good morning, Mother," I greeted and placed a kiss on Mother's forehead before taking my seat at the edge of the table.

Breakfast was already served, and we all began to eat in silence, but on different occasions, I would see Mother's eyes on me.

"Say it, Mother," I spoke through the mind link when I couldn't ignore it.

"Nothing, I was just wondering why you rejected her in the first place," she spoke through telepathy, and I sighed and chewed slowly, forcing the food down my throat.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said such to you," Mother apologized, and I didn't react to her words.

The three of us ate in silence until Mother was finished and decided to leave.

"So where are we going?" Nora asked as she dropped her spoon.

"Shopping," I announced, and I saw her eyes light up.

"You're taking me shopping?" she asked, and I nodded.

"That's nice," she responded with a smile, and I smiled back.

After we finished eating breakfast, I took the keys from Jackson, my personal driver, and Nora and I drove out of the mansion.

We arrived at the shopping mall, and I led Nora inside.

"Greetings, Alpha Leo," one of the salesgirls greeted as we entered one of the clothing stores. I let Nora browse through the racks while I trailed behind her, watching her with a mixture of amusement and adoration. She picked out several outfits and eagerly tried them on, emerging from the fitting room each time with a smile on her face.

As she stepped out in a beautiful floral dress, I couldn't help but feel my breath catch in my throat. She looked absolutely stunning, and I made sure to let her know.

"You look amazing, Nora," I said, trailing my eyes all over her. "That dress suits you perfectly."

A blush tinged her cheeks as she thanked me, twirling around in front of the mirror to get a better view of herself. I couldn't help but smile, captivated by her infectious happiness.

Nora continued trying on different outfits, and each time she came out, I would offer my opinion and shower her with compliments. She seemed to gain more confidence with each outfit she tried, and it was a joy to witness.

After she had selected a few dresses, tops, and jeans, we moved on to the accessories section. She tried on different pairs of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, playfully modeling them for me while I smiled as my heart fluttered in my chest.

We also ventured into the shoe section, where Nora couldn't resist trying on a variety of heels, sneakers, and boots. She walked confidently in each pair, making sure to show off her favorites to me. I admired her style and took mental notes of her preferences, making a mental promise to surprise her with something special in the future.

As we made our way to the checkout counter, Nora looked at the pile of clothes and accessories in her hands and sighed. "It's much, right?" she asked, and I quickly shook my head. "Nothing is too much for you," I spoke sincerely and watched her smile. As we drove back to the mansion, I couldn't help but steal glances at Nora, who sat beside me, humming a tune and tapping her fingers to the beat. Her infectious energy filled the car, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for having her by my side. "Where else are we going?" she asked, turning her gaze to me.

"It's a surprise," I said and saw her frown.

"What surprise?" she asked, but I shook my head.

"It's a surprise and will remain a surprise," I said, and heard her scoff.

I chuckled at her playful annoyance and focused on the road ahead.

The drive was silent until I noticed Nora was uncomfortable in her seat, forcing me to look her way. "Are you okay?" I asked and saw her gasp and close her eyes, her breathing becoming heavy.

"Nora, what is wrong?" I asked in panic as I stopped the car.

"Nora, what is wrong?" I asked, panicking as I saw her clutching her stomach and clenching her teeth.

"It's Vera, something is wrong with her," she announced faintly.

"Vera?" I asked and saw her nod.

"Something is wrong with Vera. Please take me back to my parents' house," she pleaded and opened her eyes, which were filled with tears. "Please hurry up," she pleaded.